RealGM

Core Passing Mechanics

Zip – Ability to put high velocity on the ball without losing control.

Accuracy – Hitting the target in the exact catch-ready pocket.

Touch – Delivering softer passes when needed (lobs, floaters, post feeds).

One-Hand Delivery – Consistent precision passing off either hand without setup.

Off-Dribble Passing – Maintaining accuracy while in motion.

Pass Release Speed – How quickly the ball leaves your hands once the read is made.

Vision & Read-Making

Court Vision – Awareness of all players on the floor, including help defenders.

Anticipation – Throwing to where a teammate will be, not where they are.

Manipulation – Using eyes, body, or ball fake to move defenders.

Processing Speed – Time between recognizing an opportunity and delivering the pass.

Layered Reading – Seeing multiple options and picking the best one in real time.

Versatility of Passing

Pass Variety – Bounce, lob, pocket, skip, wrap-around, hook, shovel.

Left-Hand/Right-Hand Symmetry – No drop-off between dominant and weak hand.

Angle Creation – Adjusting dribble, footwork, or body to open passing lanes.

Tight Window Passing – Precision in traffic without turnovers.

Transition Passing – Leading breaks, hitting trailers, cross-court finds on the move.

Playmaking Under Pressure

Passing vs. Length – Ability to deliver against taller or long-armed defenders.

Late-Clock Passing – Making a clean setup in limited time.

Physical Contact Passing – Maintaining accuracy when bumped or hit.

Help Read & Kick – Recognizing and exploiting double teams instantly.

Turnover Avoidance – Consistent reads that minimize live-ball turnovers.

Specialized Passing Traits

Pocket Passing – Threading to rollers off pick-and-rolls.

Skip Passing – Accurate weak-side finds over the defense.

No-Look Passing – Selling deception while keeping accuracy.

Timing with Shooters – Delivering passes at a shooter’s preferred rhythm.

Big-to-Big Passing – Finding another post player in traffic without disruption.

That’s actually a tough question. I can’t answer quite yet. Will get back to this.

I'd probably lean Luka.

Why no Magic or Jokic?

AleksandarN wrote:Why no Magic or Jokic?

I think most of Real GM considers Magic, Jokic and Nash comfortably the top 3 passers. I didn't want such a lopsided poll. I wanted the next tier of guys.

AleksandarN wrote:Why no Magic or Jokic?

Because everyone else is competing for third.

White Chocolate deserves a spot in this poll imo.

Probably Kidd.

Onlytimewilltel wrote:That’s actually a tough question. I can’t answer quite yet. Will get back to this.

You've been given 45 minutes. Explain your answer.

DO IT.











































(FYI I'm drunk af right now)

Probably Kidd but maybe Luka…..idk

Iwasawitness wrote:
(FYI I'm drunk af right now)

Nice! I'm looking at this...and after OP gave criteria...F....I need an hour to process his criteria. No fun after 10 beers!

mdonnelly1989 wrote:Core Passing Mechanics

Zip – Ability to put high velocity on the ball without losing control.

Accuracy – Hitting the target in the exact catch-ready pocket.

Touch – Delivering softer passes when needed (lobs, floaters, post feeds).

One-Hand Delivery – Consistent precision passing off either hand without setup.

Off-Dribble Passing – Maintaining accuracy while in motion.

Pass Release Speed – How quickly the ball leaves your hands once the read is made.

Vision & Read-Making

Court Vision – Awareness of all players on the floor, including help defenders.

Anticipation – Throwing to where a teammate will be, not where they are.

Manipulation – Using eyes, body, or ball fake to move defenders.

Processing Speed – Time between recognizing an opportunity and delivering the pass.

Layered Reading – Seeing multiple options and picking the best one in real time.

Versatility of Passing

Pass Variety – Bounce, lob, pocket, skip, wrap-around, hook, shovel.

Left-Hand/Right-Hand Symmetry – No drop-off between dominant and weak hand.

Angle Creation – Adjusting dribble, footwork, or body to open passing lanes.

Tight Window Passing – Precision in traffic without turnovers.

Transition Passing – Leading breaks, hitting trailers, cross-court finds on the move.

Playmaking Under Pressure

Passing vs. Length – Ability to deliver against taller or long-armed defenders.

Late-Clock Passing – Making a clean setup in limited time.

Physical Contact Passing – Maintaining accuracy when bumped or hit.

Help Read & Kick – Recognizing and exploiting double teams instantly.

Turnover Avoidance – Consistent reads that minimize live-ball turnovers.

Specialized Passing Traits

Pocket Passing – Threading to rollers off pick-and-rolls.

Skip Passing – Accurate weak-side finds over the defense.

No-Look Passing – Selling deception while keeping accuracy.

Timing with Shooters – Delivering passes at a shooter’s preferred rhythm.

Big-to-Big Passing – Finding another post player in traffic without disruption.

How do we address offensive gravity and ball handling ability in this context? Example is a scorer creates easy passes because he can score and a ball handlers will able to get to more spots. I think you touched on this a bit but I don't know if you wanted us to isolate these two areas.

I voted b4 reading and just read the headline and players on the list lols

Stockton!

I voted Kidd, but you could change my mind.

UcanUwill wrote:I voted Kidd, but you could change my mind.

This is where I'm at also.

Iwasawitness wrote:

Onlytimewilltel wrote:That’s actually a tough question. I can’t answer quite yet. Will get back to this.

You've been given 45 minutes. Explain your answer.

DO IT.











































(FYI I'm drunk af right now)

Gun to my head, I’d take Jason Kidd. I just logged back on and didn’t think much about this to be honest (forgot I even read it lol). So my mind could be changed but for a quick vote I’d go with J Kidd.

Rondo, go to YouTube and watch him playing with the defense and directing traffic, having the ball on a string, he was a wizard with the ball and setting up his teammates. A big shame he couldn't shoot as well.

dhsilv2 wrote:

mdonnelly1989 wrote:Core Passing Mechanics

Zip – Ability to put high velocity on the ball without losing control.

Accuracy – Hitting the target in the exact catch-ready pocket.

Touch – Delivering softer passes when needed (lobs, floaters, post feeds).

One-Hand Delivery – Consistent precision passing off either hand without setup.

Off-Dribble Passing – Maintaining accuracy while in motion.

Pass Release Speed – How quickly the ball leaves your hands once the read is made.

Vision & Read-Making

Court Vision – Awareness of all players on the floor, including help defenders.

Anticipation – Throwing to where a teammate will be, not where they are.

Manipulation – Using eyes, body, or ball fake to move defenders.

Processing Speed – Time between recognizing an opportunity and delivering the pass.

Layered Reading – Seeing multiple options and picking the best one in real time.

Versatility of Passing

Pass Variety – Bounce, lob, pocket, skip, wrap-around, hook, shovel.

Left-Hand/Right-Hand Symmetry – No drop-off between dominant and weak hand.

Angle Creation – Adjusting dribble, footwork, or body to open passing lanes.

Tight Window Passing – Precision in traffic without turnovers.

Transition Passing – Leading breaks, hitting trailers, cross-court finds on the move.

Playmaking Under Pressure

Passing vs. Length – Ability to deliver against taller or long-armed defenders.

Late-Clock Passing – Making a clean setup in limited time.

Physical Contact Passing – Maintaining accuracy when bumped or hit.

Help Read & Kick – Recognizing and exploiting double teams instantly.

Turnover Avoidance – Consistent reads that minimize live-ball turnovers.

Specialized Passing Traits

Pocket Passing – Threading to rollers off pick-and-rolls.

Skip Passing – Accurate weak-side finds over the defense.

No-Look Passing – Selling deception while keeping accuracy.

Timing with Shooters – Delivering passes at a shooter’s preferred rhythm.

Big-to-Big Passing – Finding another post player in traffic without disruption.

How do we address offensive gravity and ball handling ability in this context? Example is a scorer creates easy passes because he can score and a ball handlers will able to get to more spots. I think you touched on this a bit but I don't know if you wanted us to isolate these two areas.

Yeah I think passing needs to be isolated. Otherwise it becomes more about playmaking. So ability to score shouldn’t be taken into account.

mdonnelly1989 wrote:Yeah I think passing needs to be isolated. Otherwise it becomes more about playmaking. So ability to score shouldn’t be taken into account.

In that case I'll gun to head go with Bird. Yeah his scoring and shooting was a huge factor here. But his lack of a live dribble I think offsets it. And his passes were just genius.

Hard to choose between Stockton, Paul, Kidd, and Rondo.